Airplane



M. F. BABCOCK,

AIRPLANE.

APPUCATION FILED JULY 7,1919.

J, m. W W, 9 m M T m m k AH P... du .U

M. F. BABCOCK.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. I9l9.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

M. F. BABCOCKL AIRPLANE. I

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1919.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

4'SHEETSSHEET 3.

M. F. BABCOCK.

AIRPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7,1919.

Patented Aug. 29, 1922.

m 4 SHEETSSHEET 4. I W

UNITED TATES Parana castes.

MILTON F. BABCOCK, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AIRPLANE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d A 29 1922.

Application filed July 7, 1919. Serial No. 309,030.

T 0 all whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, MILTON F. BABOOCK, a citizen of the Dominion of Canada, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Airplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to airplanes, and an object of the invention is to provide a construction for maintaining lateral stability of an airplane, and also for increasing the speed range.

The underlying principle of this invention is that the deep cambered aerofoil or wing surface gives a greater lift per square foot of area than does a fiat cambered aerofoil; therefore for lateral stability, the variable cambered sections of the aerofoil on one side is deepened in curvature while on the opposite side it is flattened proportionately, thereby giving a greater lift to one side of the airplane than upon the other.

For increasing the speed range; the camber of the variable cambered sections on both sides of the fuselage is increased, thereby allowing the airplane to land or get away at the slow speedthat is typical of deep cambered wing surfaces and which facilitates the ascensional efforts of the airplane. Once the machine is in the air, the variable cambered-sections are flattened to the normal wing curvature, thereby allowing the airplane to assume the high speed obtainable from flat cambered wings.

It is an object of this invention to pro-- vide variable cambered aerofoils or wings for airplanes, which will accomplish the above mentioned results, and to provide means for operating these variable cambered sections which will permit the performance of both operations. namely the maintaining of the lateral stability of the airplane and the varying of the camber of the aerofoils at the same time, or independently of each other. as desired.

Other objects of theinvention are to pro-.

vide a construction as specified wherein the aerofoil is not subjected to a helicoidal warp, but the curvature of the aerofoil is changed uniformly from one lateral marginal port-ion through the entire length of the aerofoil to the other, orwhen the variable cambered wings are used for lateral stabilizing purposes, from one lateral mar-. ginal portion to the central axis of the aerofront portion works in conjunction with the marginal portion of the wing from the rear main spar to the trailing edge, which is likewise of one section, and from the wing pit to the end of the section laterally. \Vhen the leading edge moves downward, the trail- 1ng edge also moves downward, thereby increasing the camber of the wing section and eliminating any strain upon the cross coverlng'of the aerofoil as the latter is in no way expanded or contracted by the action of the camber edges of the aerofoil.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanyin drawlngs, forming a part of this speci cation, and in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an airplanev constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan of the airplane.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through an aerofoil of the variable camber construction.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan of the aerofoil.-

Figure 5 is a fragmentary end view of the operating and controlling mechanism for the cambered sections of the aerofoil.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view showing the-method of changing or varying the camber of the aerofoils.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. where like characters indicate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, the fuselage of the airplane is generically indicated by the letter A, and while the particular aerofoil construction and the mechanism for operating the same is shown as applied to a two-seater pusher air lane, it is to be understood that the princip e and construction of the aerofoils and their controlling mechanisms may be applied to airplanes of any approved type without departing from the spiritof this invention.

' The drawings also illustrate a bi-plane, and in describing the invention, reference drawings.

will'be had to only one of the planesor aerofoils, in that the construction ofthe multiple planes are identical.

The aerofoil 1, includes the central sect'on 2 having the front. and rear spars 3 and 4 which extend throughout the, entire span of the aerofoil and are connected at spacedpoints by hollow ribs 5. The front spar 3 has the front portion 6 of the variable camber aerofoil hingedly connected thereto, as shown at 7, and this front portion extends from the leading edge to: the main front spar 3 as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the This front portion 6 works'in conjunction with the marginal portion 8 which extends from the main rear spar 4 to the trailing edge of the aerofoil. These front and rear portions 6 and 8 extend throughout the entire span of the aerofoil, or

from the wing or aerofoil tips to the end of the Wing section laterally as indicated at 9 in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The strips 10 and 11 of the front and rear sections 6 and 8 respectively have arms attached thereto and projecting above and below the aerofoil 1. The arm 12 which is carvided for simultaneously operating the front and rear sections 6 and 8 to vary the camber of the'aerofoil. If it is desired, suitable guy or bracing wires 18 may extend from the outer ends of the arms to the free edges of the sections 6 and 8.

These sections 6 and 8 are operated for varying the camber of the wing by the operating structure generically indicated by the letter B.' The-operating structure includes the provision o a suitable supporting frame 20 which may be carried-by the fuselage. A at any point to be conveniently operated by the pilot of the airpla-neand this supporting frame 20 has a depending saddle 21 formed thereon which rotatably supports a stemor rod 22. The rod 22 is provided with threaded sections 23 and 24, the threads of which are oppositely disposed as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. A hand wheel 25 is mounted upon the rod 22 for rotating the same and the rotation of this.

rod will move the nuts 26and 27 in 0 p0 site directions; that is upon rotation o the rod 22 in'one direction the nuts 26 and 27 will be moved towards each other while upon'rotation of the rod in opposite direction, they will be moved away from each other: Pins 28 are carried bythe nut 26,

and corresponding pins 29 are carried by the nut 27. The pins 28 have pulleys 30 and 31 mounted thereon, while pulleys 32and 33 are carried by the pins 29. A wire or cable 34 has one end connected to the arms 16 carried by therear section 8 upon one side of the longitudinal center of the air lane and this cable passes over a suitable gulding pulley 35, which is carried by the aerofoil 1 and to and about a guide pulley 36, passing from the inner side ofthis pulley to the outer side andabout a guidepulley 37 which.

latter pulleysare carried by the frame 20. From the guide pulley37, the cable 34 passes to'a-nd about the pulle s 30 from this pulley to and about the pullby passes, back beneath the guide pulley 30 to and about guide pulleys 38 and 39 which are carried by the frame 20 and from thence to and about a guidepulley 40 carried by the aerofoil 1 upon the opposite side of the lon- 32 from which it gitudinal center of the airplane from the 1 aerofoil which carries the guide pulley 30. The-cable34 is finally connected to the arms 16 of the aerofoil which portion thereof carries the pulley 40 as clearly shown in the 3 diagrammatic Fig. 7.

A second cable 41 is provided in the controlling mechanism which has'one end connected to the arm 14 of the aerofoil 1 upon one side of the longitudinal center of the airplane and it passes, from its point of con, nection with the arm 14 to and about a uide pulley 42 carried by the aerofoil, own wardly to the pulley 43 which is carried'by the frame 20 and from this pulley upwardly about a second guide pulley 44. After leaving the guide pulle 44, the cable 41 passes about the guide pul ey 33, carried by the pin guide pulley 45, the cable 4l-extend's to and 1s coiled about a drum 46.-. The drum 46 is carried by a shaft 47 which is in turn r0 I tatably supported by the supporting frame 20. The cable 41 to and about a gui pulley 48 carried by passes oil the drum 46 e 115- 29 of thenut 27, from there about-a guide. pulley 45 which is spaced outwardly from I the guide pulley 33, as clearly, shown in Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings. 'From the the frame 20 oppositely of the shaft 47 from the pulley 45. From the pulley 48 the cable passes to and about the pulley 31, pulleys 49 and 50 from which latter pulley it ex-' tends to the aerofoil 1 upon the opposite side of the longitudinal center of the airplane from the aerofoil section which carries the pulley 42 and this cable is finally connected to thearm 14 of the rear section 8 of the last mentioned section of the aerofoil. The shaft 47 has a hand wheel 52 mounted thereon for manually rotating the shaft and by ro-.

tating the shaft 47, the cable 41 may be "operated to vary the camber'of the sections of the aerofoil upon each side of the longimemes;

tudinal center of the airplane, for-maintainin thelateral stability of the airplane. It wil be seen, by the" diagrammatic Fig. 7 thatwhen the drum 46 is rotated, it wil .increase the curvature of the wings or aerofoil section upon one side of the longitudinal center of the airplane and decrease the wheel25. For instance, when the rod 22'is' curvature of r the section of the aerofoil upon the opposite side of the longitudinal center ofthe airplane, thereby increasing the dynar'r'iiclift upon one side of the airplane causing the same to'right itself and maintain its lateral stability; 7

For varying the camber-of the wings or aerofoils relative to' the regulation of the;

speed of the airplane, the rod 22 is rotated, through the medium of the hand rotated for moving the nuts 26 and 27 towards each other, the length of the cable 34 between the guide pulleys 30 and 32 will be decreased, consequently increasing the lengths of the cable extending between these pulleys and the arms 16 allowing the arms 16 to move in the direction indicated by the arrows D shown-in Fig.7 of the drawings, and this movement will shorten the 1 portions of the cablel between'the pulleys 31 and 33 and the arms 14 of the aerofoil, moving the arms 14 in the direction opp0-' sitely to that indicated by the arrows D and consequentl dipping the rear portion 8 of the aerofoi Through the medium ofthe wires 13 the front section 6 will-be simultaneously dipped and the camber of the aerofoil-willbe increased without variation of the angle of incident thereof. Upon the reversing of the direction of rotation of the rod 22, the above operation will be reversed,

and the section 8 moves upwardly or.

strai htens to decrease the curvature of the aero oil; thus it will be seen that the curvature' of the wing or aerofoil will be changed uniformly'from one lateral marginal portion through the entire span of the 'aerofoil to the other marginal portion, without. impartin a helicoidal warp .to the aerofoil and without in anyway expanding or contracting the cloth covering of the aerofoil; or when the variable camber win is used for lateral stabilizin ture will be chan e uniformly from one lateral portion to t e central axis of the airplane. 1

Changes in details may be made without geparting' from the spirit of this invention; llli,

l'claimz- 1. In an airplane, an aerofoil comprising" an lntermediate portion and front and rear marginal portions, box ribs carried by said intermediate portion in spaced relation to each other, hinges carried by said box ribs and connected to said front and rear marginal portions for hingedly connecting said regulatin pur oses, t e curva-- portions to the intermediate "portion of the aerofoil, arms carried by said front and rear marginal portions and projecting above and below the same, and connecting wires connecting the downwardly extending arms of said front and rear marginal portions to the upwardly extending arms of the opposite portions, -whereby said marginal portions may be moved synchronously in the same direction, controlling means operatively connected to certain of said arms and arranged whereby said marginal portions" may be synchronously operated to pro vide uniform curvature throughout the span of the aerofoil, 1

2. In an airplane, an aerofoil comprising an intermediate portion and front and rear marginal portions, box ribs carried by said intermediate portion in spaced relatlon to each other, hinges carried byvsaid box ribs and connected to said frontand rear marginal portions for hingedly connecting said portions to the intermediate portion of the aerofoil, arms carried by said front and rearinarginal portions and projecting above and below the same, and connecting wires connecting the downwardly extending arms of said frontand rear marginal portions to the upwardly extending arms of the opposite portions, whereby said marginal portions'may be moved synchronously in the same direction, controlling .means operatively connected to certain of said arms and arran ed whereby said marginal portions ma e synchronously operated to provide uni orm curvature throughout the span; of the aerofoil, said marginal portions divided at the central axis of the air lane, and operating means connected to sai rear portion upon each side of each division for imparting curvature of difi'erent radii to the. aerofoil upon opposite sides of said division. Y

3. in an airplane, an aerofoil, means for the camber of theaerofoil for carried by the nuts, said cable ing. from each of t e guide pulleysnin opposite directions for connection with the aerofoil for varying the camber of the aerofoil throughout its span upon rotation of the longitudinally extending shaft, a sec- 0nd cable passing about said drum and conbility thereof, and guide pulleys carried by nected to the aerofoil for varying the camsaid nuts and" engaging the intermediate ber of the aerofoil on each side of the long-iportions of said second mentioned cable on 1.0 tudinal center of the aeroplane so as to preeach side of said drum whereby said second 5 sent to the atmosphere different aerofoil mentioned cable will be actuated upon the curvatures on each side of the central axis movement of said nuts.

of the aeroplane to maintain lateral star MILTON F. BABCOCK. 

